Automobile spring seat



March 27, 1934. K.-W. MAYHEW ET AL AUTOMOBILE SPRING SEAT 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 1, 1950 new,

Ke lmel'h ulmag melv me E Hollow m3 fljCBQ/O/W 9 a lkoz m March 27, 1934. K, w, MAYHEW ET AL 1,952,880

AUTOMOBILE S PRING SEAT Filed Oct. l, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 c lwucwfou Kenmthwmayhow, Melville Elfollowag 1 (h-mu v Patented Mar. 27, 1934 PAFTE NT? OFFICE 1.952,sso AUTOMOBILE srnmc SEAT Kenneth W. Mayhew, Angelica, and Melville E. Holloway, Hamburg, N. Y., assignors to F. R. Atkinson Spring 00., Hamburg, N. Y.

Application October 1,

7 Claims.

This invention relates to a struction for seat cushions and particularly for such seat cushions as are employed in automotive vehicles.

ion. In order to prevent flexure or folding of the springs or cover fabric at the front of the seat cushion from pinching persons seated on the cushion and to otherwise render the seat more comfortable, itis customary to overhang'or extend the upper portion of the seat beyond the lower portion. Because of such overhanging, the front portions of the cushions have been structurally weaker than the rearward parts and are' likely to sag or become permanently distorted in continued use, and the springs in the front portion; being likewise distorted become unable to function properly, rendering the seat uncomfortable and unattractive in appearance. The helical springs in the seat, when in use, are under substantially constant flexure, due to uneven road conditions and engine vibration, which may set up noise-producing vibrations in the springs and framework. These vibrations may be transmitted from one to other parts of the cushion assembly by the metal to metal contact of the spring and frame, this contact also resulting at times in squeaking upon small relative movements of the contacting parts.

The present invention contemplates a spring seat cushion construction in which the overhung portion of the frame is supported by resilient means backed by a thrust distributing member for distributing stresses, which are imposed upon and normally tend to sag the front portion of the assembly, to the various helical springs in such manner that sagging or permanent distortion is substantially prevented and the life of the cushion accordingly extended. Means are also provided for dampening noises caused by flexing of the cushion, this means consisting of a loose fitting and flexible woven fabric cover which completely encases the wire of each of the vertically disposed helical springs. This fabric, woven into tubular form and threaded over the springs-in any desired manner as that described in copending application Serial No. 485,815 filed of even date herewith, is light in'weight and has great flexibility and should not be confused with other spring coverings which have been fitted spring frame conclarity of the showing; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view illusclosely about spring wire and were therefore less flexible and less able to absorb noises set up by vibrations of the encased spring. The spring covers of the present invention, functioning to dampen noise-producing vibrations of the spring, further serve as sound absorbing insulation between the contacting spring and frame parts,

-thereby eliminating metal to metal contact of the parts and the consequent squeaking, and preventing .the transmission of vibrations of one to other parts of the assembly.

These and other objects and advantages will become apparent from a perusal of the following description of a typical construction embodying the principles of the invention, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, wherein:-

Fig. l is a broken plan view of the spring seat Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the spring assembly shown in Fig. 1

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the spring wire supporting frame of the spring assembly;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken through the front of the structure shown in Fig. 1, certain parts being eliminated for trating a portion of one of the fabric covered helical springs.

As shown in Fig. 1, the spring seat assembly includes upper and lower rectangular frames 10 and 11, respectively, which substantially outline the upper and lower surfaces of the completed structure and which are held in vertically spaced relationship by a plurality of vertical coiled springs 12, the upper frame being extended to overhang the lower frame at the forward and lateral edges. Each vertical spring comprises a central spring wire 13 preferably formed with looped ends 14, and a woven fabric cover 15, ntting loosely about the wire and adapted for dead ening noises set up by flexure of the spring. The

the sound deadening function of the covers.

Certain of these covered helicel springs, des= ignoted st 16, of substantially concsye cylindricel contour, are arranged in staggered rows li' ex tending lengthwise of the essernbly, the shorter of the staggered rows being filled with more closely coiled helical springs 18. The lengths of the springs in the rows preferably decrease from the front row 19 to the rear row 21 in order that the upper surface of the assembly may be downwerd= ly reerwerdiy inclined, elthough if the springs may all be of the some length. The upper end lower convolutions othe springs which are adjacent to the frame members iii end ii are securely attached to the fro-me by metal clips 22 which are clumped over the frame and the springs. The spring covers space the clips from the spring wires 13, thereby eliminating noises which might otherwise be set up or trenw mitted by metal content.

The interior helical spring 72-01 those which are not directly etteched to the frame members to and ii are supported in the assembly by a series of spring tempered wires 23 which are strung in pairs and across and are substantially co-plener with the frame members. These wires comprise strands 24 extending lengthwise of the assembly, spacing the longitudinal rows of springs and attached to the side of the frame members, and intersecting diagonal strands 25 spacing the spring in each row and attached to the front and rear portions of the freme. The strsnds 2 and 25 are preferably coiled prior to assembly with the springs end are, during the assembly operation, wrapped or intertwined about the upper end lower convolution of the spring, as shown in Fig. 1, and stretched to proper tension. As the spring covers 15 are interposed between the wire strands and the spring wires 13, metal to metal contact with its attend.- ent disadvantages is eliminated. The loosely woven cover fabric engaging the wires 23, will also function to deoden the noise-producing vibrations which might be otherwise set up in the wires.

As shown in Figs. 1 end 2 the upper portions of the spring cushion overhang the'lower portions by considerable distance at the front and front side edges. A great load is usually imposed upon these portions of the seat and to overcome or eliminate sagging or breaking down of such overhanging portion, a stress distributing frame member 26, of substantially U-shape, is provided. This member extends about the front and sides of the assembly and is secured to the rear portion of the lower frame member by means of clips 2'7 and to medial convolutions of the adjacent helical springs 12 by clips 28. Tightly coiled springs 29, having their axes in a sub 'stantlally horizontal plane and having their end portions tangentially extended, are secured between the upper frame 10 and the distributing member 26, the upper tangential end extensions 31 being fastened by clips 32 tothe member 10 and the lower end extensions 33 being attached to the member 26 by clips 34. i

It will be understood that a. load applied to the'front of the frame member 10 will be resisted by the springs 29, backed by the stress distrlbuting frame member 26 which will distribute the load to all of the vertical coiled springs to which it is attached by the clips 28. Any downward thrust of the upper frame memberio will, through the upper extension arm 31 which is longer than the lower arm 33, exert a. torsional stress upon the coiled portion of the spring 29 intense and will move this portion reerwsrdly producing on outwerd component of force on the member is, preventing it from sagging inwardly. fine inward component oi force eifectiye on the mem ber 26 will be partially absorbed by the vertical coiled springs 12 to which the member is at teched end the remainder transmitted to the lower frame 16 at its pen/it of attachment to the member 26 et 27. The outward component of force applied to the member to will be absorbed by all of the springs l2, being distributed to them by the diagonal wire strands 2d and 25 end the clips 22.

As will be noted from on examination of the upper left of Fig. l and the upper center thereof, 2. pen of spaced wires 24 extend between each longitudinal row of vertical coil springs, each of the wires behig coiled or uter-twined about the convolutions of the springs l2 adjacent to it, end the diagonal members 25 likewise com 25 prise pairs of wires, each wire of the pairs bespeced from the other end inter-twined about the springs 12 of the diagonal rows of vertical springs adjacent to it. Between each set of three adjacent springs, the wires form a triangular i sent for supporting the cushion padding, and any downward stresses exerted upon such triangular portion will tend to stretch the wires to urge them to creep relative to the coil springs. This creeping will be resisted by the engagement of the wires forming the triangle at each open of the triangle. It will also be noted that another triangle is formed by the wires outwardly of'the inner trihngle and that the spices of this outer triangle are also joined by contacting wires and 111g that the wires forming the inner triangle are joined to the wires forming the outer triangle at points spaced from the spices of the letter so that the wires 25 and 2 between each set of three vertical springs 12 contact and are thus gig joined at nine points to substantially reduce any tendency which they may have to creep when loads are imposed upon them. It will also be noted that any loud applied to the triangular ports defined by the wires 25 and 24 will be 1213 applied tangentially to the convolutions to the 1 springs 12 end will have a, tendency to produce radial distortion of the springs. 1

It will now be understood that the present invention provides an improved spring sect com struction, the salient features of which are silent operation, efiected by the looselywoven fabric threaded over the vertical helical springs to eliminate metal to metal contact of the various parts of e. the assembly and to dampen noise emit- 13g ting vibrations which might otherwise be set up in the lacing springs 23, and the provision and arrengement of the thrust distributing member 26 and springs 29 for preventing undue sagging of the overhanging seat portion and for distributing the sag-producing forces to the various upright or vertical coiled springs 12.

It will be further understood that the spring seat construction herein described is merely exemplary of the principles of the invention which 14.0 is intended to be of scope commensurate with the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A spring seat construction comprising spaced upper and lower frame members, said upper frame member extending outwardly beyond said lower frame member, upright coiled springs of substantially concave cylindrical formation with the upper convolutions thereof of diameter greeter than the medial convolutions thereof and dissaid upright springs respectively to posed between said frame members, a stress tributing member connected to medial convolu tions of a plurality of said upright springs, and a plurality of other springs having end portions connected respectively to said stress distributing member and to the extended portion of said upper frame member, said other springs resisting resiliently movement of the extended portion of the upper frame member toward the stress dis= tributing member.

2. A spring seat construction comprising snb== stantially rectangular upper and lower frame members, said upper frame member overhanging said lower frame member, upright coiled springs disposed between said frame members, means for connecting the upper and lower con-= volutions of said upright springs res ctively to said upper and lower frame member a stress distributing member connected to the medial portions of said upright springs, and plurality of horizontally disposed coiled torsion springs having upwardly and downwardly inclined end portions respectively connected to the overhang= ing portion of said upper frame member and to said stress distributing member, said torsion springs resiliently resisting movement the up== per frame member toward the stress nibuting member.

3. A spring seat construction comprising sub stantialiy rectangular upper and lower frame members, the front portion or said u per frame member overhanging the front po n said lower frame member, upright coiled springs dls= posed between said frame members, means for connecting the upper and lower cons ellations oi and lower frame members, a stress member having a front portion eirtendin beneath the front portion of the upper iranie men oer and having side portions connected to ti por tion of said lower frame member and extending between said upper and lower frame members, the front and the side portions oi? said stress dis tributing member being connected to the medial portions of certain oi said upright springs, and springs connecting the front portion oi said up= per frame member and said stress distributing member for resisting movement of the upper frame member toward the stress distributing member.

s. A. spring seat construction comprising sub= stantially rectangular upper and lower frame members, said upper frame member overhanging the trout portion oi said lo er frame member, upright coiled springs dis osed between said frame members, said springs being covered with sound deadening covers, resilient wire members attached to the overhanging portion of said up=- per frame and secured to the upper convolutions of said upright coiled springs by twining there about, a stress distributing member extending be= neath and inwardly of said overhanging portion of said upper frame and attached to certain of said covered upright springs, and springs con= nected to said stress distributing member and said overhanging portion of said upper frame member.

5. A wire framework for a spring cushion as= sembly, comprising substantially rectangular upper and lower wire loops, the forward side of the upper 021 said loops extending outwardly beyond said lower loop, a substantially U-=shaped member secured at the ends thereof to the rear portion of said lower loop and extending between said loops and inwardly of the lower oi said loops at the forward portions thereof, and a plurality of hor izontally disposed coiled springs each having an elongated end extension connected to said upper loop and a short end extension connected to said member.

6. in a spring seat assembly, a row of upright helical springs each of generally concave cylin drical' contour, a wire frame member extending longitudinally of said row of helical springs and tangentially connected to the upper convolutions each of said upright springs, a stress distrib= uting wire extending substantially parallel to said wire frame member and tangentially connected to a medial convolution of each of said upright and a plurality of horizontally coiled springs disposed between said upright springs, each of said upright springs having ends extended tangentially therefrom connected to said frame member and said stress distributing member.

7. A spring for upholstery comprising a spring wire of helical form, said wire having loops formed on the ends thereof, and a tubular fabric member extending over said wire and following the convolutions thereof, the ends of the tubular fabric extending beyond the loops at the ends of the wire and being closed to completely encase the wire, said tubular fabric being oi such form that it may be passed over the looped ends of the wire.

KENNETH W. RQAYHEVT.

MELEELLE E. I-EOILQWAY.

lid 

